Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time intermittent study
  • PgProfDev | 2 years | Start date: multiple dates
  • MSc | 6 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgCert (ICL) | 2 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgDip (ICL) | 4 years | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MSc | 3 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgCert | 1 year | Start date: September 2026
  • PgDip | 2 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Edinburgh Medical School

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

If you are looking to deepen your understanding of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology while continuing to work, this fully online, part-time programme from the University of Edinburgh is designed for you. 

Whether you are a healthcare professional, biomedical scientist, researcher or educator, this MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate will equip you with specialist knowledge in the science, diagnosis, treatment and control of infectious diseases.

You will explore key topics, including:

  • immune responses to infection
  • science and biology of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic pathogens
  • modern and emerging diagnostic technologies for infectious diseases
  • infection prevention and control and anti-infective therapy
  • infections in different contexts such as:
    • community- acquired infections
    • emerging infectious diseases
    • infectious diseases associated with travel

Our curriculum draws on the British medical syllabus for Combined Infection Training and Higher Specialty Training in Infectious Diseases of the Royal College of Pathologists and Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board. Our programme is ideal for junior doctors who wish to specialise in infectious diseases or clinical microbiology and can support trainees/specialists in preparation for FRCPath Part 1/CICE.

What sets this programme apart is its academic rigour, flexibility, opportunity to develop your own interests and global relevance. Delivered by a world-leading research university with decades of experience in online education, you will benefit from weekly guided learning, engaging discussions with a diverse international cohort, and close academic support from experienced tutors. Courses run in five-week blocks and combine case studies, critical analysis and real-world applications to support your professional development.

You can choose to study part-time over one to three years or opt for a more flexible intermittent route. You can also take standalone courses through our Postgraduate Professional Development pathway, providing the option to focus on particular areas of interest so that you can tailor your learning with support from our team to meet your career goals.

Wherever you are in the world, and whatever stage you are at in your career, this programme gives you the knowledge, confidence, and credentials to make a meaningful impact in the fight against infectious diseases.

Study options

Part-time

You can study this programme on a part-time basis. On successful completion of the courses and assessments, you can exit after:

  • 1 year with a Postgraduate Certificate
  • 2 years with a Postgraduate Diploma
  • 3 years with a Master of Science

Intermittent study

Intermittent study allows more flexibility in how you choose to study. With this option, you will have:

  • up to 2 years to complete the Postgraduate Certificate
  • up to 4 years to complete the Postgraduate Diploma
  • up to 6 years to complete the Master of Science

​The standard programme structure is still maintained in terms of the progression requirement for entry into the dissertation year. However, you can tailor your education to fit more closely with commitments in both your private and professional life. 

If you choose to study this programme on a part-time intermittent basis, you pay your tuition fees course-by-course rather than paying an annual fee. 

Postgraduate Professional Development

​Postgraduate Professional Development (PgProfDev) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course, without the time or financial commitment of a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or MSc programme. 

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PgProfDev scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit. Alternatively, after one year of taking courses, you can choose to transfer your credits and continue to study towards a higher award on a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or MSc programme.

​Although PgProfDev courses have various start dates throughout the year, you may only start a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or MSc programme at the start of the academic year in September. Any time spent studying PgProfDev will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or MSc programme.

Programme benefits

  • 100% online, flexible part-time format from a top UK university.
  • Join a global learning community and world-class academic support.
  • Enjoy the opportunity to customise study paths and pursue career-focused option courses.

The programme is very adaptable and meets all my needs, especially for working professionals like me. The online learning platform provided me opportunities to meet and interact with many people across the globe, not only doctors, but microbiologists and other professionals in related fields. 

Akhlaq Ahmed Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, graduate​d 2024
Akhlaq Ahmed

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time intermittent study
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

If you receive an offer of admission, this will be conditional as you will be asked to pay some of your tuition fees in advance as a deposit.

How and when to pay the deposit

  • £500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for online study from one of the UK’s governments.

If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Masters option.

View details: UK government loans

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a biomedical, medical, public health or relevant bio-science topic.

We may also consider your application if you have relevant work experience; please contact the programme team to check before you apply. You may be admitted to certificate level only in the first instance.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

By the end of this programme, you will have gained a strong foundation in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. You will understand the biology of key pathogens (including bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and prions) and how they interact with the human immune system. You will explore the principles of antimicrobial therapy and laboratory diagnostics, as well as evidence-based infection control. 

Option courses allow you to specialise in areas like emerging infections, travel medicine, and HIV. You will also develop critical skills in data analysis, scientific writing, and public health approaches, preparing you for advanced practice, research, or further clinical training.   

​Year 1 (Postgraduate Certificate)

​In the first year of the programme, you will explore foundational concepts of clinical microbiology. All courses in Year 1 are compulsory.

  • ​Introduction to immunology: You will learn about the immune response to infection and the role of innate and adaptive immunity.
  • ​Science and biology of bacteria: You will develop your understanding of the basic biology of bacterial pathogens and how they cause disease in humans.
  • ​Science and biology of fungi, parasites and prions: You will learn about the major parasitic (protozoan and helminth), fungal and prion diseases of humans.
  • ​Science and biology of viruses: You will deepen your understanding of viral pathogens and how they cause disease in humans.
  • ​Laboratory practice in microbiology, virology and serology: You will enhance your understanding of how clinical laboratories contribute to the investigation, management and prevention of infection.
  • ​Anti-infective therapy and resistance: You will learn about antimicrobial agents and their rational use in clinical settings based on evidence, existing policies and antimicrobial stewardship.

​Year 2 (Postgraduate Diploma)

​In Year 2, you will select six option courses. 

Year 2 course offerings and availability are subject to annual academic review and demand. ​

Courses currently on offer during Year 2 include the following:

  • ​Clinical syndromes and infection: You will develop your understanding of the pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, clinical investigation and treatment of a broad range of complex infection syndromes as well as the relationship between co-morbidities and infection.
  • ​Community acquired infections and public health: ​​You will develop your understanding of factors contributing to community-acquired infections, learn about diagnosis and review case studies. Furthermore, the course encourages you to investigate principles of public health, disease surveillance, epidemiology and importance of immunisation in preventing infectious diseases. 
  • ​Emerging infectious diseases: ​​You will develop an understanding of the emergence of infectious diseases, the risk factors of disease emergence and the implications for disease surveillance and control in public health. 
  • ​HIV-infected and other immune-compromised patients: ​This course aims to provide you with the ability to understand the causes of, and risk factors leading to, immune deficiency, and the ability to recognise infection in immune-compromised patients. It will also cover management of specific therapies in both HIV-infected and non-HIV immune-compromised patients as well as relevant counselling to patients, carers and relatives.
  • ​Infection prevention and control: ​​You will examine the evidence-based principles of infection prevention and control to reduce the risk of acquiring infections and to control their spread. 
  • ​Molecular diagnostics of infection: You will develop your knowledge of modern and emerging diagnostic technologies for infectious diseases. Our focus will be on rapid pathogen detection, antibiotic resistance determination, point-of-care testing, and high-throughput technologies such as next-generation sequencing and mass spectrometry.
  • ​Scientific analysis, review and presentation: Infectious diseases: ​​You will enhance your ability to critically review biomedical publications, to analyse and interpret data and to apply your skills to the design of research studies. Furthermore, you will be encouraged to critically assess the methodologies used in systematic reviews and meta-analysis. 
  • ​Travel medicine and infectious diseases: You will explore the challenges of travel medicine, considering the recreational short-term traveller as well as long-term population movement. 

​Year 3 (Master of Science)

​In Year 3, you will have the opportunity to conduct your own independent research project on a topic of your choice. Previous students have completed clinical studies, laboratory-based research or literature-based dissertations. You will be supported by a University of Edinburgh supervisor. 

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Part-time intermittent study
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

​Each course will run over a period of five weeks, with participation in online discussions and completion of in-course assignments being a compulsory part of the process.

​Study materials are released on a weekly basis, providing an overview of the study topic, suggested reading materials and key questions that address the learning outcomes for the course.

​You are expected to split your time between independent study and interacting with peers and course tutors on the discussion boards in order to fully explore the topic and your understanding of it.

​Learning is delivered through:

  • ​weekly materials
  • written notes
  • recommended reading
  • organised online discussions with other learners, tutors and course organisers
  • problem-based learning through clinical case studies, which will be used to enhance your understanding of decision-making
  • independent study and reflection

Recorded lectures or podcasts may also be available for you to watch or listen to in your own time.

​Opportunities to connect regularly with your course organiser and programme team to address concerns and monitor progress.

Assessment

​​On all our courses, assessment is integrated with learning through in-course assessments. Examples include:

  • assessed discussion boards where you explore topics with your classmates
  • critical essays
  • data presentations
  • research proposals
  • presentations

You will be provided with detailed feedback on your ​assessments to further develop your knowledge and skills.

Learning outcomes

​​The programme will provide you with a fundamental understanding of the science, biology and detection of pathogens as well as our immune response to them, anti-infective therapy, and infection control among other topics. However, beyond this you will:

  • ​Develop an increased understanding and awareness of the scientific and medical background of infectious diseases.
  • ​Achieve a command of existing knowledge in your field of research, through a critical and comprehensive review of relevant literature.
  • ​Understand the principles of data analysis, dissemination of results and implementation of key findings, thus making informed judgements on new and emerging treatments.
  • ​Demonstrate an understanding of how specialist knowledge in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases is applied to treatment and management of infectious diseases.
  • ​Successfully communicate scientific results.
  • ​Ensure an understanding of infectious diseases to enable the undertaking of independent research. 

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Our academic staff

​​Teaching is delivered by academic staff who provide an outstanding research-led learning experience that fosters individual intellectual development.​ 

How online learning works

Online programmes are delivered through the University's Virtual Learning Environment, LEARN. Our award-winning, online learning technology is fully interactive, and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Our online students not only have access to the University of Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

After training and induction in generic skills for online learning, you will listen to and interact with talks by our team of University of Edinburgh academics and clinicians. On selected occasions, you will have live discussions with our team.

Watch our video to see how online learning works.

Time commitment

This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world.  

If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you.    

You should expect to spend between 12 to 15 hours per week on reading course materials, engaging with peers and tutors on the discussion boards and preparing assessed work. It is up to you to decide how to organise your time from week to week, with course materials and discussion boards available for the duration of the course.

See 'Find courses' in Programme details for more information about study time commitment

Equipment and software needs

To study this online programme, you will need access to:   

  • a computer or laptop  
  • the internet  
  • the latest version of a web browser  

As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. 

IT support is available if you have technical difficulties.  

IT and computing help

Support for online students

Career opportunities

We designed the Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases MSc programme with your training and your professional development aspirations in mind. It is an excellent opportunity to advance knowledge and skills for many professionals such as biomedical scientists, researchers, educators and health care professionals. 

Our programme is ideal for junior doctors who wish to specialise in infectious diseases or clinical microbiology and can support trainees/specialists in preparation for FRCPath Part 1/CICE.

​This degree will also be attractive to those who have completed their training but wish to fulfil continuing medical education requirements, or those who wish to obtain a formal qualification in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Graduates have progressed into specialist roles in infectious disease medicine and research. Many use this programme as a pathway into doctoral study or to fulfil continuing professional development requirements. The programme also provides a good foundation for healthcare professionals wishing to conduct research studies within the infectious disease field.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
7 January 2026 30 November 2025
14 September 2026 21 August 2026
6 January 2027 29 November 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit one reference with your application.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

What our students say

Amal discusses her experience of studying online for the MSc Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

The course has given me confidence to ask questions and has built a level of knowledge I would never have achieved in any other way. The best thing about learning online has been meeting other students remotely. Many of my fellow students are doctors in a combination of developing and developed countries around the world. ​ 

Marianne Ismail Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, graduated 2022

Our community

Initially what I would wondered about the programme was whether I was going to feel isolated or whether I was going to feel motivated enough to do something without the convenience of classmates reminding me in person. But I found that the online discussion board, which is about 40% of what you do during a module, we actually have to interact and react to people. And you start learning which people you have a good collegiate relationship with because of the way they write or the experiences that they have. It ended up not being the isolated that I feared it might be and was very easy to get to do everything.

Marco Smit Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases graduate

General enquiries

Postgraduate Admissions Office

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

CMVM College Office

Usher Institute, Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh

5-7 Little France Road, Edinburgh BioQuarter – Gate 3

Edinburgh

EH16 4UX

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)131 651 7998

Academic contact

Dr Richard Smith

Programme Director

  • Edinburgh Medical School
  • College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
  • University of Edinburgh

Contact details

Address

Biomedical Teaching Organisation (BMTO)
Doorway 3
Medical School
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9AG

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